These tasty Italian Almond Cookies are a perfect treat with an afternoon espresso or latte. These cookies are not hard and crunchy like biscotti, they have a softer interior with a chewy texture, kind of like a french macron. The ingredients are simple and highlight the almond flavor perfectly.
The addition of a few tablespoon of apricot jam add a little tangy moistness and brightness to the cookie. Rolling the outsides in sliced almonds hints to the flavor within while added a nice crunchy texture to pair with the chewy interior. Here is how you can make your own.
You can find the entire recipe here. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or Silpat and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the almond flour and sugar. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whip the three egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form soft peaks, like whipped cream. Fold the egg whites into the almond flour mixture, then fold in the apricot jam (I processed my jam in the food processor to make it smooth).
Add a few drops of almond extract and mix until a semi-firm dough ball (similar to sugar cookie dough) forms. You may need to add more almond flour if the mixture is too wet (I ended up using my entire 1 lb. bag of almond flour).
In a small bowl lightly whisk 1 egg white (33 grams) and set aside. Place sliced almonds in shallow bowl. Scoop dough using a #60 scoop and form into little ovals.
Dip in egg white and then roll and press the sliced almond into each oval of dough. Place on prepared cookie sheet, 4 across and three down. These cookies do not spread in the oven.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (I baked mine for 25 minutes) until cookies and nuts are light golden brown. Let cool before serving.
Variation: You can alternatively coat the cookies in pine nuts or just bake them plain. They would also be very good with a drizzle of melted bittersweet chocolate on top.
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